Colombian-American Kali Uchis to receive 2021 “Inspira Honoree”

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today that fast-rising Colombian-American GRAMMY winner KALI UCHIS will be recognized as this year’s Inspira Honoree and perform during the October 8th broadcast of the 34th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards. The Inspira Award was created to honor Latinx role models that provide inspiration for youth on a national stage.

“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is thrilled to recognize Kali Uchis with the Inspira Award,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF. “As an international star, Kali has used her exceptional talents, authentic presence, and positive energy to inspire youth as well as proudly represent her Latinx culture. We are also excited to have Kali perform during the Hispanic Heritage Awards on PBS and join us in celebrating Latinx accomplishment, vision and culture with all of America.”

Raised between Virginia and Colombia, Kali Uchis rose to prominence with her project Por Vida in 2015. Uchis’ 2018 debut album, Isolation, received widespread critical acclaim and was featured on Best Of lists in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NPR, Vulture and many more. Uchis has collaborated and shared stages with Gorillaz, Jorja Smith, Juanes, Diplo, Major Lazer, Tyler, The Creator, Daniel Caesar, Bootsy Collins, Snoop Dogg, Kaytranada, Leon Bridges and more and has toured the world over, with much-lauded sets headlining at Coachella, Governors Ball, Tropicalia and Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza and many others.

With her second studio album, and first all-Spanish Language release “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)” Uchis’ career has continued to surge forward at an astounding pace. The album quickly notched the #1 spot on Billboard’s “Top Latin Albums” chart, and recently launched the smash hit “telepatía” – notching Kali a Tonight Show performance, her first #1 single on the “Hot Latin Songs” chart, over 635 million global song streams, and impressively landing in the Top-5 of Billboard’s recent “Best Songs of 2021 So Far” selections.

This year’s Awards, modeled after last year’s PBS broadcast, will once again feature more intimately filmed performances and Honoree segments captured on location across the United States and Latin America. Last year’s program had the highest ratings and reached more people in the PBS Broadcasts’ history with Awardees including Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez, Linda Ronstadt, Jessica Alba, John Lewis, and our Farmworkers, with performances by Sebastian Yatra, Jessie Reyez, Sech, Calma Carmona, Flor de Toloache and a grand finale tribute to Linda Ronstadt anchored by The Mavericks featuring Latina vocalists: Joy Huerta of Jesse and Joy, Lupita Infante, La Marisoul of La Santa Cecilia, Gaby Moreno and Carla Morrison.

The Hispanic Heritage Awards were created by the White House in 1988 to commemorate the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month in America and is among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions.